3/11/2013 |
Gio gets dream start as US opens in MiamiGio Gonzalez was so confident Team USA would punch its ticket to his hometown for the second round of the World Baseball Classic, the Washington Nationals left-hander drove from Nationals camp in Viera to his favorite Miami sports restaurant to watch the Americans' 9-4 win over Canada on Sunday.

3/11/2013 |
After one frame, Dice-K exits with calf crampsDaisuke Matsuzaka's bid to crack the Indians' rotation hit a minor snag. During Monday's Cactus League game against the Angels, the right-hander exited after one inning with cramps in his right calf.

3/11/2013 |
Beavan, Ramirez get work in on team's day offWhile most of the Mariners had a rare off day Monday, right-handed starters Blake Beavan and Erasmo Ramirez each threw four innings in a Minor League intrasquad game to get their work in and stay on schedule.

3/11/2013 |
Jeter could play short Wednesday vs. PhilsDerek Jeter believes that he is ready to play shortstop in a game for the first time since his left ankle injury in the American League Championship Series.

3/11/2013 |
Valdespin OK after unfortunate hit-by-pitchMets utility player Jordany Valdespin left Monday's game in the fifth inning after being hit in the groin with a 94-mph Justin Verlander fastball, but he said he was feeling fine after being checked out by Tigers team doctors.

3/11/2013 |
Braves, Nats give taste of promising NL East battleA game like Monday's adds just a little bit of extra juice to the lengthy Grapefruit League campaign. It was the Braves and the Nationals, and Washington trotted out what looked an awful lot like an Opening Day lineup. Two top contenders and two legitimate big league starting pitchers in an early installment of what should be one of the game's best rivalries this year.

3/11/2013 |
Desire to prove doubters wrong drives EatonWhen you're a 5-foot-8, 19th-round Draft pick like D-backs outfielder Adam Eaton, you're going to have plenty of people doubt your abilities and you have to work a little harder to get noticed. Whatever Eaton is doing, it's working.

3/11/2013 |
Ross has three scoreless as Padres cruise past A'sTyson Ross tossed three scoreless innings, and Kyle Blanks and Nick Hundley had back-to-back RBI doubles in the first to give the Padres an early lead as they cruised over the A's, 10-0, on Monday.

3/11/2013 |
Eclectic Tribe sure to be fun on, off the fieldThis Cleveland clubhouse is cohesive enough that 50-something guys were willing to put on ridiculous costumes at 8:30 a.m. in the desert and shoot the silly video at Nick Swisher's behest.

3/11/2013 |
Weaver tosses four shutout innings vs. TribeJered Weaver held Cleveland to no runs on three hits in his four innings for the Angels. The right-hander mixed in six strikeouts and allowed two walks in his outing.

3/11/2013 |
Kazmir wants to be one of Tribe's five guysThe Angels released left-hander Scott Kazmir two seasons ago. On Monday afternoon, they got to see how much progress the pitcher has made in his comeback attempt with the Indians in a scoreless tie at Goodyear Ballpark.

3/11/2013 |
Posey brings out best in Darvish, NathanRangers pitcher Yu Darvish admitted the confrontation against Buster Posey meant something. In Joe Nathan's case, it wasn't the Giants All-Star catcher as much as just being irritated by back-to-back triples.

3/11/2013 |
Pence's hits back Bumgarner's strong outingThe Giants snapped the Rangers' five-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory at Surprise Stadium on Monday afternoon. The Giants have won two straight after snapping a four-game losing streak.

3/11/2013 |
Demand for Trout off the field a balancing actIn 33 years with the Angels, 29 of which have been spent in the public-relations department, Tim Mead has never witnessed anything like the rush of public attention and outside demands that now engulf 21-year-old outfielder Mike Trout.

3/11/2013 |
Strasburg focused on pitching better from stretchIt looked like Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg was going to have his best outing of the spring on Monday afternoon, but he ended up taking the loss as the Braves won the game, 7-2, at Space Coast Stadium.

3/11/2013 |
Quintana eager to build on rookie successJose Quintana may have been a revelation on the South Side last season, but the young left-hander refuses to rest on the success of his breakout season.

3/11/2013 |
Yanks sign outfielder Francisco to Minors dealThe Yankees have signed outfielder Ben Francisco to a Minor League contract and will consider him for a roster spot this spring, general manager Brian Cashman said on Monday.

3/11/2013 |
Miley scratched from start with biceps discomfortThe D-backs scratched left-hander Wade Miley from his scheduled start Tuesday with some discomfort in his left biceps muscle. Josh Collmenter will start in Miley's place against the Rockies at Salt River Fields, while Patrick Corbin will start the other half of the split-squad game against the Mariners in Peoria.

3/11/2013 |
Japan, Netherlands to battle for Pool 1 victoryJapan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have both qualified for the final round of the Classic, but will still face each other on Tuesday at 6 a.m. ET on MLB Network and ESPN Deportes, in order to decide the Pool 1 winner and runner-up.

3/11/2013 |
US faces new challenges in Miami's Pool 2Team USA survived a nervous three-game weekend in Phoenix and arrived overnight to join Italy, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico in Pool 2 in the second round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

3/11/2013 |
U.S. eager for Gio's Classic debut against P.R.Team USA and Puerto Rico escaped from their tough brackets in Arizona and San Juan, P.R., respectively, this past weekend, and now, the real fun begins at Marlins Park, where the two clubs will meet on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.

3/11/2013 |
Campaign trail may lead 'Mayor' Morris to MilwaukeeThe Double-A Huntsville Stars had barely chalked the foul lines at old Joe Davis Stadium when Hunter Morris was nicknamed "The Mayor." It was a nod to his local roots, his campaign-ready smile and his politician's knack for working the autograph line.